- Enrollment
- 2,258
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tucson, AZ
Challenger Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Challenger Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040817001613
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenger Middle School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #16 of 25
- middle schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- students per teacher
- 71.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenger Middle School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Middle School ranks #16 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Sunnyside Unified District (4407) · Arizona
NCES ID 040817001613 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-59 students YoY
Challenger Middle School shrank from 654 students in 2022-23 to 595 in 2023-24 (-9.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 31.2 → 26.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-59 students YoY 040817001613 · Tucson, AZ Middle · MID · TRAD
590 enr · 19:1 · 71.9% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Sunnyside High School (2,258 students)
Challenger Middle School shrank from 654 students in 2022-23 to 595 in 2023-24 (-9.0%). Teacher FTE lost 31.2 → 26.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Challenger Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Sunnyside High
Sunnyside High School
2,258 students
- Desert View Hi
Desert View High School
2,102 students
- Sierra 2-8 Sch 801
Sierra 2-8 School
801 students
- Gallego Interm 768
Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School
768 students
- Elvira Element 642
Elvira Elementary School
642 students
- This school 590
Challenger Middle School
590 students
What this shows Challenger Middle School reports 590 students on the CCD universe file.
How Challenger Middle School compares
Challenger Middle School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 12% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.9% | ▲ 49% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 590 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
590
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
71.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 69% in Arizona - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
96.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,153
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,502
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
33
in-school suspensions + 122 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 86.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.4%
White 3.6%
African American 3.6%
Two or More 1.0%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 86.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.3, Challenger Middle School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Sunnyside Unified District (4407) reports $10,153 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Challenger Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyside High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert View High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sierra 2-8 School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts Magnet School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elvira Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenger Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,102
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 768
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 642
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar middle schools in Tucson
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~590 students)
Frequently asked questions about Challenger Middle School
How many students attend Challenger Middle School?
Challenger Middle School has 590 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tucson, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 654 (2022-23) → 595 (2023-24), down 59.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle School is 19:1, which is 12% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Challenger Middle School?
71.9% of students at Challenger Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenger Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Challenger Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 86.1% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenger Middle School?
Challenger Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Challenger Middle School rank among middle schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenger Middle School ranks #16 of 25 middle schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Tucson on the city page.
What other schools are in Sunnyside Unified District (4407)?
Besides Challenger Middle School, Sunnyside Unified District (4407) also operates Sunnyside High School (2,258 students), Desert View High School (2,102 students), and Sierra 2-8 School (801 students). See the Sunnyside Unified District (4407) district page for the complete list.